What is wrong with being kind and thoughtful? These people who are so lucky to be given the space to write (lucky because the majority of them are barely average writers) all are so bitter and cynical. Please let her know your thoughts if you find her tweets insulting.

.@AnnieLowrey red-meat huh? What a disgusting phrase. Implying we are ravenous animals. Oh for karma & a penniless Lowrey.

Just to mention – in my world almost all employees receive – in addition to their salary/wage – 9% of that salary from their employer into retirement savings. The employee can choose the fund manager/s and the type of investment (bank interest, bonds, shares or any combination of investment types). Initial problems with smaller amounts being eaten by fees have been resolved and everyone has access to funds that are interested in the investors’ returns – not the fund managers bonuses.

It started at 3% – now 9% – going to 12%. Folks can also add their own money to their retirement accounts

Yes, it will. This is huge relating first to that sweet baby and the students who beat her and what else has been going on in that school, and then to many other layers of supposed “protection” for students in schools.

“Letters to the parents” should bring outrage and a demand for answers by every one of them. I have a good-natured 10-y/o granddaughter who was somewhat bullied in school last year (a different school than the one she attends now, but no matter) – do we have to send parents to school each day with their kids?

People thought our generation was the start of the “permissive” society, but it’s much worse now. At least when we grew up, you didn’t dare get in trouble in school or you’d “get it” a million times worse at home. Plus, you didn’t want to see “that look” in your parents’ eyes. Not that kids didn’t get in trouble, but there was still that deterrent. Now? Not so much. We just have to ask a teacher to know that.

“I would suggest Alison attack Mitch for wanting to take health coverage away when he is boasting about having gotten health care to one guy,” Yarmuth said. (Alison Lundergan Grimes has been cautious on the ACA, standing up for its expansion of coverage but generally avoiding the topic.)

I just saw the earlier post about the unbelievably horrific news that the W.V. may be forever polluted, unusable forever. Just before that I read that there is now a report that formaldehyde is in their water supply, people would inhale this carcinogen while they showered etc. And I agree this should be front page news everywhere—-an entire state has likely lost their access to a safe water supply——forever.

I wonder why the EPA and other federal agencies aren’t all over this and including POTUS himself? This is as much a disaster as the drought in California. Plus it now is going into other rivers and streams. It’s really dangerous. This not only needs major attention but money to get it fixed, people need to be fined if not arrested.

The red and blue divide between humans and Mother Nature cannot continue. I was a fan of Gov Jerry Brown in the 1970s, when he referred to “spaceship Earth,” meaning finite resources hurtling through space.

Each day, the wonder of TOD never fails to impress me. Will forever be grateful to Chips for all she had to do and withstand to nurture the TOD community, including enabling NW, LL, zizii, amk, LP and others to share their passion, brilliance and boundless love of America and our President Obama. But, what impresses me most is that the empathy Chips infused into TOD has been amplified many fold by all those who care so deeply about each member of the TOD community.

I rewatched the SOTU so have watched it both on C-Span and MSNBC. The camera angles were different in each. After initially watching C-Span and watching it again on the other channel I noticed facial expressions of the people in the audience. When PBO was shaking hands after the speech and having spoke of not signing any further sanctions on Iran I noticed most people were stretching to be able to shake his hand, not Corey Booker. CB just raised his eyebrows and stood there making no attempt to shake hands.

Something is up with Booker. No reason as a very junior senator he had to be so vocal on a foreign policy issue against his Party leader. AND you can hear crickets chirping he’s so quiet about the Christie allegations. Makes a person wonder…

Didn’t Menendez vote the same way on that issue, as the senior senator from NJ? Maybe he “invited” Booker, as the junior senator, to join him, and it was too tantalizing not to follow? That’s the only thing I can think of, without any other facts.

Exactly….Alycee. He is only out for himself and is awfully quiet regarding this Christie stuff (quite ironic for a nauseating, serial media whore). I’m convinced that this is the one time that he doesn’t want folks to look too closely – cause something’s there. They were beyond bi-partisan chummy.

Also, Obama grandmama I noticed his body language toward the President as well. It annoyed me, particularly bc Imo Booker wants to pass for President Obama the sequel (i.e. tries to swagger jacks his speeches). Ain’t gonna happen. He lacks substance, character, and all things that makes PBO great. Fortunately, most Americans spent time focusing on the real Cory who mattered that evening.

Even I knew that (sorry, but I did). My friend is not a librarian but is a science geek, and she’s on the fainting couch about it. Plus we both really like Neil – he passes on his enthusiasm to young people, which is fabulous!

I think gobrooklyn told us some time ago that she qualified for medicaid? (I am still confused as to the health care names in the US) before the ACA started. She did discuss it when she went to Florida – being concerned as to whether she would qualify in that there state.

I’ve coverage through my employers. I would have signed for Obamacare otherwise. My daughter who is turning 26 in June will sign up for Obamacare once she cannot stay under my insurance. My son who began working for the first time this past May is still covered by me. But I encourage everyone I know who needs coverage to sign up.

Dear GB
I am sending you healing thoughts and hope for your treatment to be successful. You are larger and more powerful than the cancer you fight.You have many people supporting you allow their strength to lift your spirits. Take care of yourself. Virtual Hugs.

Wow. Last time I drove the interstate through Atlanta – on a fine summer day – was the last time I drove the interstate through Atlanta. I was totally used to driving cross country without fear, but the godawful traffic was the worst I’d seen anywhere, including Philly – which can get pretty intense, since people drive 20 miles above the speed limit in some areas! Can’t believe what it would be like around Atlanta in the last few days, with the snow and ice and road crews unprepared.

The problem here in GA is that the republicans in the state legislature don’t want to invest in infrastructure improvements, and every time a chance is offered via SPLOST to increase taxes to fund it, it is voted down. IIRC, the last time people in ATL had a chance to vote for a slight tax increase to fix the region’s transportation problems was last year. The GOPTPers went hard against it. They ran ads on TV and in newspapers and flooded the major newspapers with calls to vote against it, and most did. The same thing happened in Macon where I live. We need a new courthouse. It needs to be moved from downtown because parking is a major problem. You can go there to serve jury duty and go back to your car and find a ticket on it, a ticket the city officials will not pay for. The SPLOST was not approved by many because it would mean a tax increase of one penny. The vote split along racial lines, with POC approving the increase, and whites voting against it. It’s a shame that people want something for nothing and then complain that problems aren’t fixed. The same GOPTPers who vote GOPTPer pols into Congress and our state legislature are among the first to make the claim that lawmakers can’t be trusted to use the money for infrastructure improvements. This makes no sense to me. If they feel this way about those whom they voted into office, why do they keep voting for pols them when they don’t trust them? It’s nuts.

I wish that I could review those documents and find the smoking gun. Reviewing documents use to be part of my job before I retired. It is amazing what can be found in documents when they are produced in bulk. :)

Evening Friends! What a day! I spent most of the day and this evening bonding with the apple of my eye, my sweet nephew, who hadn’t seen me for what feels like eons. We had a snow-day blast baking cookies, making tacos, playing video games and watching Star Trek episodes! [Squeeee!] That child wore me out! But in the best way possible. I’m almost happy he gets another snow day tomorrow, ‘cuz I think he’s pretty tuckered out too.

Anyway, I thought I’d pop in for a second to say goodnight and take a quick gander at today’s happenings on the blog. I’m devastated to hear of the health struggles that GoBrooklyn and NCLB are going through. My eyes fell on LL’s moving post from earlier tonight and welled up with tears. I just sat down and had a good cry, nodding my head in total agreement about what a special community this blog is for all of us.

Thank you for writing that beautiful post LL. Your words laid out just how vital our TOD home is for all of us. [Endless thanks to the nurturing hand our beloved Chips.] The outpouring of love from everyone here has meant so much to me, as I’m sure it does for GoBrooklyn, NCLB and all of our TODers who are in the middle of life struggles.

GoBrooklyn and NCLB, along with the rest of the TOD family, I’m adding my most fervent prayers for your strength, both physically and spiritually. If I could be with you, I’d envelop you in a big bear hug and curse the damned disease with you, as we scarfed down gallons of black walnut ice cream drenched in chocolate sauce. Since I can’t do that right now, I’m sending you rays of love across the miles and playing some music that hopefully will lift you up if only for moment. Remember that you are loved and that we are here when you need a soft place to land.

Dudette, you’re a mighty force of goodness. Humanity is fortunate that you are among us. Could not be more delighted to know you are enjoying ‘snow days’ with your nephew. Please continue to rest and repair.

Officially known as “intergovernmental affairs,” the operation was a key element of the permanent campaign that allowed Mr. Christie to win twice in a largely Democratic state. It was led by Bill Stepien, his two-time campaign manager and deputy chief of staff, and then by Bridget Anne Kelly, who succeeded him in his role in the governor’s office.

They were part of what one high-ranking Republican called “the crew” around Mr. Christie: friends who strategized at Mr. Christie’s kitchen table in Mendham and socialized with him in the governor’s box at MetLife Stadium.

Now this operation is at the heart of the growing scandal over the closing of lanes at the George Washington Bridge in an act of political retribution against the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J.

Mr. Christie has said that he had not been aware of his office’s involvement in the maneuver, and nothing has directly tied to him to it. But a close look at his operation and how intimately he was involved in it, described in interviews with dozens of people — Republican and Democrat, including current and former Christie administration officials, elected leaders and legislative aides — gives credence to the puzzlement expressed by some Republicans and many Democrats in the state, who question how a detail-obsessed governor could have been unaware of the closings or the effort over months to cover up the political motive.

‘ A film is set to hit theaters featuring the story of Anita Hill, the woman who accused then Supreme Court judge nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment.

Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Freida Mock, the film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival to sold out screenings.

The trailer opens with the question, “Who here knows about Anita Hill?” The woman asking the question to a room full of young black girls is met with blank stares. However, on March 21st when the documentary hits theaters, more people will definitely know Ms. Hill’s story. ‘

Politicians looking after their own – they would attack any woman any place, that she was a black woman no doubt added to their anger – I am so pleased this film has been made. Clarence Thomas is an utter disgrace to the Supreme Court.

They ALL write to the President. Why don’t they write to the governor of WV – why do they think the President can solve every problem in the USA – yet they vote against him – all the time – the GOP will not let him solve any issues. West Virginia’s own senators are slashing funds for regulatory agencies – voting against regular safety checks.

“Dear Mr President” – and if it is not fixed – let’s blame the President.

The media should be non-stop all over this – they should be asking every politician in West Virginia what happened, how will it be fixed, who will pay the cost – both politically and financially. If the Feds are needed to assist – the WV Governor, Senators and Reps should be at the White House begging for the help they have tried so hard to keep away from their state.

Oddly enough, their senators and govnor are all dems. They only voted against the dem prez ‘cos he is black and vote for their life destroying “industries” perpetually. I really can’t blame their pols for just pandering to their wishes.

I know they are dems – makes no difference – they are the ones that need to fix the problems that years/centuries of neglect have created for their state – they should be screaming at their own politicians – not the President.

a coworker of mine made comments that that PBO made promises about helping working people but nothing ever happens….i asked him if he knew that Congress legislates not PBO…i asked him if he knew who his Fed Reps were…he said NO…i just shook my head….

I’m having a bad hair day – I got to stop going other places on the intertubes – I get into crazy arguments with RW bigots – just as well I don’t have any guns – I might have shot out the computer screen.

Chris Christie’s popularity has been badly dented and Republican preferences for president look like a six-car pileup in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll. In the Democratic lane, Hillary Clinton is well-positioned for 2016 – but has seen her own popularity pull back.

Just 35 percent of Americans see Christie favorably overall, dropping from 52 percent in a Gallup poll in June, while his unfavorable score has doubled to 40 percent. He’s gone from a 32-point net positive rating last summer to a 5-point net negative now – never a comfortable place for a public figure. And he’s notably weak among strong conservatives, a core Republican group.

There’s room for Christie to rebuild; 25 percent of Americans have yet to form an opinion of him. But nearly half the public, 46 percent, sees the political payback controversy that’s engulfed him as a sign of broader problems with his leadership; 43 percent call it an isolated incident.

If you can find it – there is a NYT item on overweight in children leading to adult obesity – MJ mentioned it – but of course forgot that Michelle Obama has been working on this issue for the past 4 years